Member-only story
Fiction | Short Story | Fantasy
Dealing with the Demon
Some days, the dragon wins.
Some days the dragon wins, thought Kaleigh as the horrible creature contemptuously swatted Alia’s decaying corpse with its massive, scaly tail. The enchanted quartz amulet around Alia’s neck pulsed faintly, relaying its belated distress signal across the land. Kaleigh watched helplessly as the red dragon raised one heavy, clawed foot above Alia’s head and brought it down in a ruthless, crushing blow that shattered and silenced the amulet once and for all. Kaleigh winced reflexively, but realized that the young mage was mercifully well beyond pain’s reach.
Dusk crept through the forest, and the dragon grew bored. It clawed idly at Alia’s broken body, then kicked it aside as it thundered out of the clearing and through the forest in search of livelier prey. Still Kaleigh kept her watchful, silent vigil over Alia. Though powerless to help the golden-haired mage, Kaleigh was nevertheless reluctant to abandon her mangled body to further desecration.
“Ho there! What’s this?” cried a small voice from the dark edge of the forest. Kaleigh looked up, startled. With Alia dead, she was mute; she could not even make the stranger aware of her presence. She knotted her fists in frustration.
